


Golden Autumn Surprise

by Chocolatequeen



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Autumn, Coffee Shops, F/M, Post-Episode AU: s02e13 Doomsday, Reunions, fall fic fest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:54:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26857783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocolatequeen/pseuds/Chocolatequeen
Summary: The autumn day felt as cold and lonely as the Doctor’s hearts. But then, on an alien planet, he found a golden surprise waiting for him.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 41
Kudos: 127





	Golden Autumn Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this pic: https://doctorroseprompts.tumblr.com/post/630808690213191683/autumn

Another day, another planet, another city. The Doctor shuffled down grey, wet streets that perfectly matched his mood. It was hard to care where he was when he was alone, again. Last of the Time Lords, yet again. Companion gone home, yet again.

And Rose. Rose still trapped on the other side of the Void, still impossible to reach.

His empty hand spasmed at his side, looking for a hand to hold. His throat tightened and he shook his head quickly before shoving his hands into his pockets.

A chill wind whistled through the streets, and he slouched down into the warmth of his coat. A few doors down, light spilled out through a big plate glass window, reflecting onto the cobblestone street. The difference between the warmth indoors and the damp cold outside was enough to entice even the Doctor with his superior biology.

He followed the light and looked into the cosy coffee shop. Overstuffed armchairs were interspersed among the traditional cafe chairs and tables. A fire crackled merrily in the stone fireplace, and the Doctor noticed several patrons had pulled their chairs closer to its warmth.

He glanced around the rest of the shop, his gaze finally settling on the barista working behind the counter. It was inevitable that he would focus on her—it had been months since he could pass a blonde woman without giving her a second glance, just to make sure Rose hadn’t somehow found her way home.

They were never Rose, though, and with each disappointment, the grief settled a little bit deeper into his hearts.

The Doctor pressed his lips into a thin line and looked away from this woman who wasn’t Rose. He turned to walk away, intent on finding someplace where he wouldn’t be haunted by her.

Behind him, the cafe door swung open and the soft buzz of pleasant conversation drifted out into the street. The Doctor looked over his shoulder, despite himself, and once again his gaze landed on the barista. As he watched, she pushed the hair back over her ear, revealing her profile.

The gesture was familiar, and he waited, almost masochistically, for the feature that would break the illusion.

Her hand was just like Rose’s. He’d held that hand enough times to know every detail—exactly how long her fingers were, the width of her palm, the way she kept her nails trimmed short.

Her neck was just like Rose’s. Slender, and with the little dip just below her ear that he loved to kiss.

The Doctor braced himself. He’d avoided her face, but he couldn’t leave without proving to himself that this woman was not Rose.

Slowly, he dragged his gaze over the curve of her cheek and down the sweep of her nose. His hearts sped up against his will. She was so much like Rose… this would hurt so much more.

Mouth a bit too wide, flashing a generous smile at the next customer in line. He could easily imagine the tip of her tongue peeking out behind those teeth, teasing him.

The Doctor held his breath and finally let himself look at her eyes. He caught just a glimpse of warm brown eyes before she turned to start working on the next drink.

The impossibility of it froze him in place. His hearts hammered in his chest as he watched Rose pull the espresso shots, but he couldn’t convince his feet to move.

The door opened again, and the coffee shop sounds broke through his dazed shock. The Doctor raced to the door, heedless of the couple he knocked aside on his way inside.

Rose was _here._

oOoOo

Rose only half heard the commotion at the door. After six months working at the shop, she’d stopped paying attention to the chatter of tourists as they came inside.

She still glanced at the door as she dumped the shots into the cup. If a group was coming in, she’d like to be prepared for that.

But she was completely _un_ prepared for what she saw instead. Either the Doctor was here, or it was someone who looked just like the Doctor. With hair just like the Doctor’s and his same wonky ear. And who dressed just like the Doctor. Including his Janis Joplin coat.

With each detail, her heart skipped a beat. She stared at the man, unwilling to move until she knew— _knew—_ he was the Doctor.

He stared back, all the same fears clearly visible on his face. Finally, he ran a hand through his hair, making it stand on end.

Rose’s heart stopped for a second, then started racing. The cup slipped through nerveless fingers, spilling espresso all over the floor and on the backs of her legs.

“Doctor,” she breathed.

His face split into a wide grin and he raised his hand, wiggling his fingers in greeting. “Hello.”

Rose darted out from behind the counter and jogged around the cafe tables, watching the Doctor match her step from step. As soon as she could, she jumped the last few steps into his arms. The Doctor’s arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tight.

She buried her nose in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes when his familiar scent washed over her. She’d wished so hard for this moment for so long; it was almost impossible to believe it was actually here.

Rose shifted and brushed her lips against the Doctor’s neck. His quick indrawn breath encouraged her, and she slowly turned her face, dragging her lips along his jaw in a whisper-soft kiss.

“Rose…”

She smiled when he said her name on a soft moan. Turning her head again, she placed her mouth by his ear.

“Yes, Doctor?”

He growled, then turned his head and caught her lips in a kiss without even setting her down. Rose sighed, and a second later, the Doctor’s tongue slid between her parted lips.

“Oi! What’s going on here?”

The angry question from her boss interrupted what had promised to be one of the best snogs of her life. Rose huffed when the Doctor slowly pulled back, then set her down on her own feet.

She took a deep breath and counted to ten before turning around. “Sorry, Ben,” she said, almost sincerely. “This is my friend, the one I told you I was waiting for.”

Ben’s stance relaxed, just slightly. “That right?” he asked the Doctor.

The Doctor slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Yep!” he said, and the way he popped the p was so familiar Rose wanted to cry. “I was a little delayed, but I made it.”

Ben snorted. “More than a little, mate. Rose has been waiting for you for six months.”

Rose could _feel_ the wave of questions rolling off the Doctor. Not wanting to get into everything here, in front of Ben, she stepped away far enough to take off her apron and hand it to Ben.

“Thanks for everything,” she told him, one hundred percent sincerely now. “Sam’s shift starts in just twenty minutes, so…”

He took the apron and nodded. “Go ahead.”

They took a quick detour into the back room for Rose to gather her things, and then they left the shop, hand in hand.

The Doctor squinted against the glare reflecting off the wet cobblestones. The clouds had broken enough to let the sun peek through in a few places. The street that had been grey and dismal now looked rain-washed and golden.

He looked at the woman beside him, equally golden. They’d only taken a few steps before he could no longer wait to ask the obvious question. “How is this even possible?"

To his surprise, she blushed and glanced away, watching their reflection in the shop windows instead of looking at him. “Basically, we’ve been building this… this travel machine—this, this… dimension cannon—so I could…. Well, so I could…”

The Doctor stopped and tugged gently until Rose was facing him. “So you could what?” he asked, wondering exactly what Rose had been planning.

She looked up at him, her forehead wrinkled slightly. “So I could come back,” she said, as if that were the only possible answer.

The Doctor bounced on his toes and giggled. When Rose had fallen through the Void, he’d assumed her promise of forever was null. Apparently, she hadn’t given up quite so easily.

Rose rolled her eyes, her nerves now completely gone. “Shut up.”

His exhilaration bubbled up again, and he impulsively swooped down and pressed his lips to hers. “You came back to me,” he murmured against her lips.

Rose pulled back and bumped her nose against his. “Yeah, I did.”

The Doctor grinned down at her, unable to believe this was real. Finally though he noticed the mutterings of the people around them as they had to veer out of their way to get around them.

“Come on, let’s keep going. We’re almost back to the TARDIS,” he told Rose, taking her hand in his and walking again.

She sighed. “God, I have waited months to hear you say that.”

“That’s right, your boss said you’d been here six months.” The Doctor swallowed hard, trying not to feel guilty for that. “How did that happen? I assume this dimension cannon thingy would have been able to take you home, too.”

Rose nodded. “It did, the first few jumps. But when I got here, it broke. I tried to jump back, an’ it just said it couldn’t lock onto my coordinates. Like where I was didn’t exist.”

The Doctor pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. “Where you were, or maybe when,” he mused. Six months ago was right in the middle of the Master’s reign. The paradox might very well have interfered with Rose’s device.

He shook his head. “Do you know what?” he said, swinging their joined hands as they walked. “I don’t even care how it happened.”

“Me either.”

They turned a corner into an alleyway, and the TARDIS flashed her light at them, urging them forward.

Rose looked up at the Doctor, and he loved the golden glow of happiness in her eyes. “Let’s go home.”


End file.
